Parviz Tanavoli, Untitled (detail)
Parviz Tanavoli: CV
1937 Born in Tehran
1955 Graduated from Tehran School of Fine Arts
1959 Graduated from Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Milan
1960 Taught at the College of Decorative Arts, Tehran
Opened Atelier Kaboud, Tehran
1961 Founded the Iranian Artists Group (with 5 painters)
Organized group exhibition of Iranian artists’ works that circulated in U.S. sponsored by Grey Foundation
1961-63Taught sculpture at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design
1964-79Head of the Sculpture Department, University of Tehran
1967 Founded Group 5 with Sepehri, Saidi, Mohasses, and Zenderoudi
Organized 1st exhibition of sculpture by Tehran University students
Opened Rasht 29, café for artists, with Cameran Diba and Roksana Saba
1969 Installed outdoor bronze sculpture at Shiraz University
1971 Visiting artist at Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota
Installed outdoor 11-foot stainless-steel sculpture on campus of Hamline University
1971 Installed bronze gates in Ray in park where Reza Shah’s tomb was
1972 Installed first modern public sculpture in bronze in front of City Theater,
Tehran
1973 Founded Tehran Rug Society
1975-92Travelling exhibition of his collection “Lion Rugs of Fars” in U.S., Canada,
U.K., Switzerland, Australia, and Iran
1975 Organized Tehran Rug Society’s 1st exhibition, “Tribal Animal Covers of Iran”
1976 Installed outdoor metal sculpture in Dakar, Senegal
Organized Tehran Rug Society’s 2nd exhibition, “Lori and Bakhtiyari Flatweaves”
Travelling exhibition in U.S. of his collection of pre-Islamic to early 20th-
century Iranian locks
Travelled to Africa to select art works from seven West African countries
1977 Organized exhibition “The Art of Black Africa” in Bagh-Ferdows Heritage Building,
Tehran
1978 Exhibition of pile-woven pictorial rugs designed by Tanavoli, Zand Gallery, Tehran
1979 Retired, since 1989 lives and works in Vancouver
1986 Exhibition of gabbeh rugs designed by Tanavoli, Bessim Gallery, Vienna
1986-97 Travelling exhibition of his collection “Kings, Heroes, and Lovers: Pictorial Rugs from the
Tribes and Villages of Iran” in U.S., Germany, and Switzerland
1997 Joseph V. McMullan Award from Near Eastern Art Research Center, Washington, D.C.
2000 Travelling exhibition in Oxford, London, Dublin, Paris, and Vancouver of his
collection of Persian steel objects, ancient to 20th century
2002 Chairman, 3rd Tehran Sculpture Biennial
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2009 Meem Gallery, Dubai
2006 Elliott Louis Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2003 Retrospective, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
1989 Rudolf Mangisch Galerie, Zurich
1988 Hirschberg Galerie, Cologne
Galerie am Rosenberg, Graz
1986 Bessim Gallery, Vienna
1980 Galleria Greminger, Genoa
1978 Aachen Neue Galerie/Samlung Ludwig, Aachen
Zand Gallery, Tehran
1976 Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York
Iran-America Society, Tehran
1973 Iran-America Society, Tehran
1972 Goethe Institute, Tehran
1971 Martin Gallery, Minneapolis
1970 Iran-America Society, Tehran
Shiraz University, Shiraz
Iran-America Society, Isfahan
1969 Iran-America Society (with Karl Schlamminger), Tehran-
1967 Seihoun Gallery, Tehran
1966 Italian Cultural Institute (with Monir Farmanfarmaian), Tehran
1965 Borghese Gallery, Tehran
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis
K. B. Gallery, Minneapolis
1962 Premiere Gallery, Minneapolis
1961 Atelier Kaboud, Tehran
1960 Farhang Hall, Tehran
Iran Club, London
1958 Reza Abbassi Hall, Tehran
1957 Tehran University (with Manuchehr Shaybani)
Farhang Hall, Tehran
Selected Group Exhibitions
2009 “Art Dubai,” Waterhouse & Dodd Gallery stand, Dubai
2008 “Art Paris,” Waterhouse & Dodd Gallery stand, Abu-Dhabi
“Routes,” Waterhouse & Dodd Gallery, London
“Word into Art,” British Museum, Dubai International Financial
Center, Dubai
2006 British Museum, London
2004 “Persian Garden” (installation), Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
Armenian National Museum, Yerevan
2002 Iranian Contemporary Art, Christie’s, London
“Picturing Iran: Art, Society and Revolution,” Grey Art Gallery, New York
University
2001 “Iranian Contemporary Art,” Barbican Center, London
2000 “Continental Shift,” Aachen, Maastricht, Heerlen, and Liège
7th International Shoebox Sculpture, University of Hawaii Art Gallery
1999 Atrium Public Gallery, Vancouver
1989 “Contemporary Art from the Islamic World,” Barbican Centre, London
1988 Olympiad of Art, Seoul,
1977 Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
1975 Grey Art Gallery, New York University
1967 Quadriennale of Rome
Shiraz Festival
Goethe Institute, Tehran
1964 32nd Venice Biennale
1962 Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris
Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels
Third International Biennale of Sculpture, Carrara
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
Saderat Bank, Tehran
1960 30th Venice Biennale
2nd Tehran Biennial (won Royal Awards for painting and sculpture)
New Delhi and Bombay
1959 Carrara Sculpture Biennale
Paris Biennial
Gallery Re Magi, Milan
1958 29th Venice Biennale
1st Tehran Biennial (won sculpture prize)
Selected Public Collections
British Museum, London
Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
Forum Ludwig, Aachen
Grey Art Gallery, New York University
Hamline University, St. Paul
Isfahan City Center
Mellat Park, Tehran
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Museum of Modern Art, Vienna (Wien Samlung Ludwig Museum Moderner Kunst)
Nelson Rockefeller Collection, New York
Noor Foundation, London
Olympic Park, Seoul, South Korea
Qatar National Museum
Royal Museum of Jordan
Sculpture Garden, Artists Home, Tehran
St. John University, Collegeville, Minnesota
Shiraz University Campus
The City Theater, Tehran
Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
University Art Museum, Iowa
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
Publications by Parviz Tanavoli
2009 Afshar: Tribal Weaves from Southeast Iran, Tehran: Farhangestan Honar
2009 Sang-e Ghabr (Tombstones) (Farsi), Tehran: Bongah
2009 Parviz Tanavoli: Ceramics, intro. by Mehdi Sahabi, Tehran: Bongah
2008 Parviz Tanavoli: Jewelry, intro. by Hamid Keshmirshekan, Tehran: Bongah
2008 Qofl-haye Iran (Locks of Iran) (Farsi), Tehran: Bongah
2008 "Sandali dar Honar" (The Chair in Art [of Iran]) (Farsi), Honar va Mardom (Art and People), 8, Summer, pp. 16-29
2008 Scales and Weights (Farsi), Tehran: Bongah
2007 "Parts of the Body in Shi'a Islam," in Faith and Transformation: Votive Offerings and Amulets from the Alexander Girard Collection, ed. Doris Francis, Santa Fe, New Mexico: Museum of New Mexico Press, pp. 110-113
2007 "The Magic of Letters and Numbers in Mystical Islam," in Faith and Transformation: Votive Offerings and Amulets from the Alexander Girard Collection, ed. Doris Francis, Santa Fe, New Mexico: Museum of New Mexico Press, pp. 114-115
2007 Sormehdan: Kohl Containers of Iran from Pre-History to the 19th Century, Tehran: Bongah
2006 "Aks dar Farsh" (Carpets Depicting Early Photographs) (Farsi), Honar va Mardom (Art and People), 6, Fall-Winter, pp. 40-47
2006 Talisman (Farsi), Tehran: Bongah
2006 "The Whites of Kerman," Ghereh 40, pp. 37-45
2005 "Weavings of the Lors," Hali 140, May-June, pp. 70-77
2005 Atelier Kaboud (Farsi), Tehran: Bongah
2004 Gabbeh: Art Underfoot (English/Farsi), Tehran: Yassavoli
2002 Persian Flat-Weaves, Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Antique Collectors' Club
2001 "Zollanvari: Beyond Gabbeh" (interview by Haj Ghola Mreza Zollanvari), Hali 114, January-February, pp. 141-142
2000 Parviz Tanavoli: Sculptor, Writer & Collector, by James Allan, David Galloway, Javad Mojabi, Sarah Sherrill, Parviz Tanavoli, ed. David Galloway, Tehran: Iranian Art Publishing
2000 Varamin: Tribal and Rustic Weaves, Tehran: Yassavoli
2000 “Preface” in Persian Steel: The Tanavoli Collection, by James Allan and Brian Gilmour, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 7-10
2000 “Tombstone of Nasser Al-Din Shah,” Tavoos, no. 2, Winter 2000, pp. 124-127
2000 “Gelims of Bowlan,” Tavoos, no. 2, Winter 2000, pp. 170-171
2000 “Leopard & Tiger Skin Carpets,” Tavoos, nos. 3 & 4, Spring-Summer 2000, pp. 116-119
2000 “The Cypress of Zoroaster,” Tavoos, nos. 3 & 4, Spring-Summer, pp. 212-216
2000 "The Quality of Nothing" (Tanavoli's heech sculpture), Hali 111, July-August, p. 160
1999 "The Varamin Mosaic," Hali 106, September-October, pp. 84-93
1999 "A Persian History Lesson" (Mashad Pictorial Carpet), Hali 104, May-June, p. 47
1999 "Jol-e Gave" (Bakhtiari Ceremonial Bull Cover), Hali 103, March-April, p. 79
1998 The Tacheh of Chahar Mahal, Tehran: Yassavoli
1998 "Riding in Style" (Kerman Bicycle-Seat Cover), Hali 101, November, p. 65
1998 "The `White-Eared' Kilims of Amol," Ghereh 15, Spring, pp. 106-108
1998 The Sofreh of Kamo, Tehran: Yassavoli
1998 Riding in Splendour: Horse & Camel Trappings from Tribal Iran, Tehran: Yassavoli
1996 "The Persian Use of Masnads: Carpets for Kings and Guests," Ghereh 9, August, pp. 19-29
1996 "Tacher from Chahar Mahal," in Seventh International Conference on Oriental Carpets: Papers, Presentations. Papers of the Congress Held in Hamburg and Berlin in 1993; published in Dusseldorf in 1996, pp. 209-213
1995 "Royal Exposure," Hali 80, April-May, pp. 97-101, 122
1995 "A Celebration of the Human Figure," Hali 80, April-May, pp. 88-96, 122
1994 "Tasheh: Flat Weaves with a Seal of Sanctity?", pp. 12-17, in Tasheh: Das Webstück mit dem Siegel der Hieligkeit/Flat Weaves with a Seal of Sanctity?, exhibition catalogue, Vienna: Galerie Bieler
1994 Kings, Heroes and Lovers: Pictorial Rugs from the Tribes and Villages of Iran, London: Scorpion
1994 "Farangi Women on Persian Carpets," Oriental Rug Review, vol. 14, no. 3, February-March, pp. 52-54
1992 "Muteh and Its Mushaki Gelims," Oriental Rug Review, vol. 12, no. 5, June-July, pp. 18-20
1992 "Shisha Derma: Iranian `Black and White' Textiles," Hali 63, June, pp. 84-89, 112
1992 "Three Little Known Types of Tribal Storage Bag," Iranian Studies, vol. 25, nos. 1-2, pp. 137-140
1991 Bread and Salt: Iranian Tribal Spreads and Salt Bags, Tehran: Ketabsara
1991 "The Afshar, Part 2: Tribal Weavings from Kerman," Hali 57, June, pp. 96-105, 140
1990 "Gabbeh: Tribal Art of Southwestern Iran," chapter 2, pp. 11-31, in Gabbeh: The Georges D. Bornet Collection, Part 2, Baar, Switzerland
1990 "The Gilim Girl," Hali 52, August, pp. 95-96
1990 "Waves from the Zagros," Hali 52, August, pp. 108-111, 142
1990 "Two for the Price of One," Hali 50, April, pp. 102-103
1989 Qalichehha-ye Tasviri-ye Iran (Farsi), Tehran: Soroush
1989 "Shahsavan Pile Carpets," Hali 45, June, pp. 30-37, 56
1988 "A Lone Vigil," Hali 42, November-December, p. 81
1988 Review of An Introduction to Kurdish Rugs and Other Weavings, by William Eagleton, Hali 41, September-October, pp. 53 & 55
1988 "`Samarkand' Pictorial Saf," Hali 40, July-August, pp. 14-15, 111
1988 "Shahsavan Scissor Bags," Hali 40, July-August, pp. 26-27
1988 "Too Good to be True," Hali 40, July-August, pp. 86-87
1988 "The Afshar, Part 1: A Tribal History," Hali 37, January-February, pp. 22-29, 127
1985 Shahsavan: Iranian Rugs and Textiles, New York: Rizzoli
1985 Lion Rugs: The Lion in the Art and Culture of Iran, exhibition catalogue, Zurich: Volkerkundemuseum, and Lausanne: Musée des Arts Décoratifs
1984 "Kings, Heroes and Lovers: Pictorial Rugs from Iran," Hali 22, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 186-189
1983 "Gabbeh," Hali, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 474-476
1978 Lion Rugs from Fars, exhibition catalogue (English-Farsi), Tehran: Soroush
1977 "The Art of Black Africa I," pp. 31-43, in An Introduction to the Art of Black Africa, ed. Karmim Emami, exhibition catalogue, Tehran: Soroush
1976 Locks from Iran: Pre-Islamic to Twentieth Century, with John Wertime, exhibition catalogue, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
1976 Parviz Tanavoli: Fifteen Years of Bronze Sculpture, by Abby Weed Grey, David Galloway, Richard Ettinghausen, Ellen Johnson, and Sarah Sherrill, exhibition catalogue, New York: Grey Art Gallery and Study Center
1974 "Bronze Casting in Iran," in Proceedings of the Eighth International Sculpture Conference, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
1974 Lion Rugs from Fars, exhibition catalogue, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service